The Pitcher Just Hits Home Runs Well [EN]: Chapter 277

The Pitcher Just Hits Home Runs Well – Episode 277 (277/404)

277. The Answer Exists (2)

“Well, well, the rumored super rookie. Getting a hit in your first at-bat, you’re something else. Oh, I’m Tristan. Tristan Casas. Heard you came from Korea. Do you happen to know Baek Kang-ho? I have a bit of a connection with that guy. Until maybe two years ago, he said he was going to come here too, but somehow we lost touch.”

Baek Kang-ho, huh.

To hear that familiar name from the mouth of Boston’s first baseman, Tristan Casas, was unexpected. Come to think of it, that guy had been a bit quiet since the Marines clinched the regular season title, and after the Dolphins were knocked out of the playoffs by the Braves, we completely lost contact.

“Ah, I know him. But I’ve been a little busy myself lately with my own move to the big leagues, so I haven’t been in touch. How did you get to know Baek Kang-ho?”

“Oh, we played against each other in the finals of the 2017 U-18 Baseball World Cup, and we did pretty well then. Anyway, we won something like 8-0 or 9-0, but Baek Kang-ho stood out to me because he hit two doubles all by himself. Plus, we met twice at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. We were both batting cleanup [the fourth batter in the lineup, typically a power hitter], so we even did a joint interview once.”

Ah, so they were like me and Alex, if you had to put a label on it. Though their relationship was a bit less intense than ours.

“I’ll try to get in touch with him for you if I get the chance.”

“Thanks.”

Leaving the rather talkative Boston first baseman behind, I walked about two and a half steps. Of course, stealing a base was out of the question.

[Actually, Aaron Judge isn’t that slow of a runner. Based on last year, he’s about league average. But right now, it seems like his body isn’t in perfect condition to run at full speed. Still, considering Aaron Judge’s hitting, it’s hard to say that manager Jeff Clark’s decision was completely wrong.]

[Oh!!]

‘Sterling!!’

[Hoo… Personally, I find it a bit hard to agree with. But, well, that’s how it is. Everyone has different thoughts, and the basis for that judgment isn’t entirely unfounded. When it comes to rationality, you can’t ignore the impact of emotions on a person’s performance.]

-Clang!!!

Unlike me, Tyler, who had been doing his best to lose weight, ultimately didn’t reach his target weight. But it was enough.

Having earned arbitration eligibility [the right to have a neutral arbitrator determine their salary] this year and receiving a whopping $3.8 million salary, he proved with this one swing why he was worth $3.8 million.

The ball flew deep into the outfield.

Aaron started running.

If you asked if he was fast, the answer would be no. But it was clean, efficient base running. If he had run like that after my hit earlier, he might have made it to third base.

[See that? Like I said, Aaron Judge is definitely not a slow runner. He perfectly understands when to run and when not to, based on his veteran experience.]

‘So, he judged that the risk versus reward was low earlier, and now he’s going all out because there’s almost no risk?’

Always giving your best effort is definitely good to see.

And in the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization], that kind of attitude is highly valued. In fact, some teams even factor it into performance evaluations. But the big leagues are a bit different. Especially for a superstar like Aaron Judge, who makes $36 million, which is well over 40 billion Korean won. The calculation is that if that kind of hustle leads to an injury, the damage to the team would be much greater.

Oh, by the way, as a Korean, I don’t really like that. Of course, a very important reason why I don’t like it is that my first major league hit wasn’t a double, but a single.

Anyway, with one out and runners on first and third.

The score is tied again at 1:1.

At this point, I started to reflect a little.

Was I getting too caught up in being the main character while playing in the KBO? That kind of reflection.

Back in the Marines, the difference between my level and the other players was so overwhelming that my instincts were almost 100% right compared to their opinions.

But this wasn’t the KBO, it was Major League Baseball.

And this wasn’t the Marines, it was the Yankees.

It’s a team that can score even if I don’t hit a home run.

Juan Montero frowned.

He had reason to. The pitches he was throwing today were definitely great. Maybe even the most powerful pitches I’ve ever faced since my regression. But even Volpe, who weakly grounded out, is a player who could make the All-Star team a few times before he retires. Aaron Judge and I are Hall of Fame-level hitters, of course.

Our fifth batter was Jake Domingo, who had been compared to all sorts of legendary players from Mickey Mantle to Mike Trout during his amateur prospect days. Born in ’03, he’s 25 this year, and of course, he hasn’t grown into an All-Star outfielder, let alone Mickey Mantle or Mike Trout.

This is his third year in the major leagues.

His cumulative stats over the previous two years are .257/.331/.449 with 37 home runs.

Still, he definitely has power.

-Clang!!!

An aggressive swing.

It was a refreshing swing that looked like he was going to hit a sacrifice fly to add one run.

The result was foul, then another foul.

And then

-Whoosh!!

“Strike!! Out!!”

A clean strikeout.

Juan Montero struck out Jake Domingo and then Ángel Cabrera to end the inning.

Domingo Rodriguez.

Juan Montero.

Domingo Rodriguez again.

And then Juan Montero and Domingo Rodriguez again.

The aces continued to pitch.

[The aces of both teams, who were a bit shaky in the first inning, are now showing overwhelming pitching as if nothing happened.]

[Domingo Rodriguez has a whopping ten strikeouts in six innings. Juan Montero also has nine strikeouts in five innings.]

[Well, the score is still 1:1 in the bottom of the 6th. The Yankees are up to bat. The leadoff hitter is Aaron Judge. Aaron Judge. He has one walk and one strikeout in his previous at-bats.]

[The Yankees have recorded a total of three hits today. Choi Su-won, the 3rd batter, has one, and Tyler Wade, the 4th batter, has two. Aaron Judge’s at-bat following them is very important.]

I put down my mitt, put on my protective gear, picked up my bat, and walked to the on-deck circle. I got fooled by the two-seamer in my previous at-bat, and honestly, I still don’t know how to distinguish between that two-seamer and the four-seamer [types of fastballs]. I mean, I guess the horizontal movement of the two-seamer is like that, but how can a four-seamer curve horizontally like that… Well, that’s why he’s called an ace in the big leagues.

Aaron Judge carefully faced Juan Montero.

Aaron Judge’s basic approach wasn’t much different from mine. The difference was Aaron Judge’s immense power and the pitcher’s cautious attitude towards his reputation and power.

The cautious attitude of trying to throw the ball on the edge of the zone repeatedly resulted in balls.

The count was 3-1.

At this point, he could have thrown a confident pitch inside…

-Wham!!

Juan Montero maintained his attitude of, ‘If I can’t get him out, I’ll walk him,’ until the very end.

A four-seamer that clearly went outside the zone.

Of course, the umpire’s hand didn’t go up.

Walk.

Aaron Judge walked to first base again.

No outs, runner on first.

[Now Choi Su-won is at bat. Choi Su-won is coming up. One hit and one groundout in his previous at-bats. He’s definitely keeping up with Juan Montero’s pitches today.]

[It’s not that surprising. In fact, when this player declared his entry into the big leagues, no team doubted his hitting.]

First pitch.

Juan Montero, after checking first base once, threw the ball to me from the set position.

Slightly outside.

-Wham!!

It was a four-seamer that clearly went outside the zone.

“What? Are you running away just because you gave up one hit?”

“Shut up. You’ve only had two at-bats in the majors, who do you think you are to be mouthing off? Just because people are treating you like a super rookie, do you think you’re something special?”

Boston’s catcher, Connor Wong, responded sharply.

I could use this to my advantage.

“How stupid. You’ve got the order wrong. It’s not that people treat me like a super rookie, so I think I’m something special, it’s that I’ve accomplished something, so people treat me like a super rookie. Can’t you understand something that simple?”

“You s… Mi… Ha… You watch out.”

I stepped closer to the plate, as if to show him, as he held back the curse words that came to his lips, conscious of the umpire behind him.

“Watch out my ass. You better not forget. I’m a pitcher. A pitcher who throws 101 mph. If my head doesn’t explode in one go, you’re next, no matter what. No, considering my importance to the Yankees, you can’t even compare to me. Think about it yourself. Who is as important as me in Boston? And if their head explodes, it’s all your fault.”

“…”

So, what will he do now?

Clearly, any human being capable of normal thought would give up the idea of throwing a beanball [a pitch thrown intentionally at the batter’s head] or a threatening pitch close to the body here.

Yes, if they were capable of normal thought.

Second pitch.

A fastball.

‘Here it comes.’

The tremendous rotation of the lower body and the back foot supporting it.

Followed by a strong torso rotation.

The half-bent left arm remains as it is until the end.

-Clang!!!

The right hand released in the final follow-through.

And now the left arm, which had been holding the bat, naturally

-Thud

Dropped to the ground.

This is the major leagues.

Yes, it means that instead of stopping at a reasonable point when you chicken out, there are more guys who run until their heads explode.

The ball flew straight out.

A truly clean hit.

There was no need to look.

It was gone.

[Well-hit ball!! To the left!! To the left!! To the left field wall!!]

[It’s gone!! Home run!! Home run!! Opening game. Third at-bat. The twenty-year-old rookie records a two-run home run in his debut!! A huge home run that falls deep into the second tier of the outfield!!]

[It was a very refreshing home run that you could tell was a home run the moment it was hit. General Manager Brian Cashman brought in a really great player this winter.]

[Bottom of the 6th. The tight game is tilted by Choi Su-won’s home run. The score is now 3:1. The Yankees are leading by two points.]

The feeling was different from the hit I had in the first inning.

It’s not just because it’s a home run.

Aaron Judge, who was blocking the way earlier, was quite annoying, but now he looked like a valuable lead runner who added one RBI [Run Batted In] to me, not a junk car blocking the road.

Yes, there is a definite answer in baseball that works in any situation: a ‘home run.’ In front of that answer, it doesn’t matter whether the lead runner is fast or slow. They just have to be there.

[Choi Su-won!! 2 hits and 1 home run in 4 at-bats in the opening game!!]

[Yankees win the opening game 3:2!!]

[The King of Home Runs in Asia!! A two-run shot that decides the team’s victory!!]

[Now, beyond Asia, to the King of Home Runs in the World? Choi Su-won tops the team in home runs!!]

─Now, after just one game and one home run, an article saying he’s the team’s home run leader is on the main page? Is this real?

─Anyway, there are always these cool cynics wherever you go. If you’re Korean, just shut up and cheer.

─That’s right. If you criticize Choi Su-won, who made a major decision to advance to the major leagues, you’ll be executed. Su-won, fighting until retirement in the major leagues!!!

─Never underestimate Korea again. We have Son Heung-min’s left foot, Park Ji-sung’s right foot, and Choi Su-won’s bat.

─Hey, wait a minute. Even so, joining the ‘Do You Know’ club [referring to instant fame] after just one home run is a bit early.

─Still, let’s make him an honorary member for today since he hit a home run.

─By the way, how should I say this? I’m a little disappointed? Somehow, it’s more satisfying when Su-won hits multiple home runs and the game is lost, so he suffers. Just? 50% average and one home run and a win. I just want to see him suffer again after coming back to the Marines.

─No, you devil!! Let our Su-won play happy baseball in the major leagues.